Ken's training with the Fifth Lord—the Lord of Hard Work and Growth—had pushed him to his limits.
Every time he attempted a task, his stamina collapsed faster than expected.
His body was strong… but his process was weak.
The Fifth Lord noticed this immediately.
"You have power, Ken," he said. "But you lack the process. Strength is nothing without the ability to endure, adapt, and push through the impossible. Today, I will show you what true hard work means."
He extended his hand toward the horizon.
"Come. We are going to the divine place known as the Caves of Process."
---
The Legend of the Forgotten Knight
As they walked, the Lord spoke.
"This cave was not formed by nature. It was created by a warrior—one of the greatest who ever lived."
Ken listened quietly.
"At the time of the Great Universal War, chaos had spread everywhere. Bodies of the fallen floated through the dark void. Entire species were scattered across space. Hope was dying."
"One of the participants of that war was a Holy Knight of the Gods."
The Fifth Lord paused.
"He was strong. Brave. Loyal. But the war was too much, even for him. Six powerful demons attacked him together. They crushed him, shattered him, left him bleeding and broken."
Ken clenched his fists.
"And somehow… somehow he survived," the Lord continued. "His nearly lifeless body drifted across the cosmos and fell onto our planet."
The Fifth Lord looked up, remembering the moment.
"When I found him, he was trembling. Confused. His hands were cold… and I could feel his will fading. Whatever he had witnessed in that war was too terrifying to speak aloud."
'I understand,' Ken thought. 'There are some horrors only the soul remembers.'
The Lord continued, "As he lay there, he heard a voice.
A whisper from the Will of the Universe itself:
> 'You cannot die here. There is something you have yet to do.'"
"That voice kept him alive long enough to reach me."
---
The Knight's Vow
"When he recovered, he begged me for strength. He said:
'Lord of Hard Work and Growth, please… help me become strong enough to protect my brothers—my fellow Holy Knights—and every ally still fighting.'"
"He trained under me as a divine servant. And then he began his mission: to build a safe place that could protect all his brothers during the war."
Ken's eyes widened.
"He built THIS place… by himself?"
"Yes," the Lord replied. "Every single day he carved deeper into the planet… pouring his protective energy into the walls. He wanted a sanctuary where no demon could ever reach. He worked through pain, through broken bones, through sleepless nights."
"But… when he finally finished the cave…"
The Lord's face darkened.
"…the war had already ended."
Ken felt his heart sink.
"The Gods misjudged him," the Lord said softly.
"They thought he escaped the battle.
They believed he had abandoned them."
"But he stayed silent. He accepted every insult. Every punishment. Every order.
Because he knew the truth—
he never ran away.
He was preparing to save them."
Ken looked at the cave entrance with new respect.
"He was a great hero," Ken said quietly. "If they had understood his intention… they would've honored him."
The Fifth Lord nodded.
"I respect him more than words can express. His will was so strong, he created a place that can warp space and time itself."
---
The Divine Training Grounds: Caves of Process
The Fifth Lord pointed inside.
"This cave holds one hundred traps. Each one is designed by me. Every failure will make the next trap even harder."
Ken took a breath.
"You must master your energy.
You must lower your will at the right moments…
And raise it to its peak at the final stage."
He placed his hand on the golden stone wall.
"If you can release your energy strong enough to make even a scratch on this cave…
you will pass my test."
Ken's eyes ignited with determination.
"Then I'll scratch it. No matter what it takes."
---
Meanwhile… In the Seven Golden Cities
Far away, the seven Golden Cities were shaken by an urgent divine summons.
The Gods, their generals, and their elite knights had gathered around the main city—El Dorado, the ancient capital of the oldest godly brother, the Wise One.
The atmosphere was tense.
The Wise God stood in the center and declared:
"For the sake of the universe…
We must defeat the Demon King this time.
Once and for all."
Golden energy flared across the sky as the seven divine armies prepared for the greatest war in history.
The Demon King's shadow was growing…
And the universe had little time left.
---